Road-grader



T; c. BULLOCK.

ROAD GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. l9l9.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1.

T. C. BULLOCK.

RGAD GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. I919.

Patented Dec. 28,1920."

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROAD-GRADER.

Application filed May 14, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnononn C. BUL- LOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing road grader whose scraper is reliably but adjustably mounted across and between two spaced sleds.

The invention lies particularly in the details of connection between the draft beam of the front sled and the scraper, so that the load thrown onto the latter when at work is communicated directly to the draft; and the invention lies further in the specific connection of the two sleds by arches consisting of strap irons in pairs bolted to their runners and which serve also as guides for the scraper when it is adjusted. Reference is had below to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, wherein like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved road grader.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is'a detailed view of the adjustment means for the scraper blade showing the same in a differently adjusted position from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view of one of the throw levers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved road grader is shown mounted upon a supporting frame indicated in general by the numeral 10, the same including a forward sled 11 and a rear sled 12 having suitable platforms mounted upon runners 13 and 14, and 15 and 16 respectively to which the platforms are secured. The runners are also connected by cross braces 17 so as to provide a rigid structure, said braces being disposed adjacent to transverse connecting or frame members 18.

The runner 13 extends rearwardly of the runner 14 and both areprovided with for- Specification of Letters Extent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Serial No. 257,053.

wardly inclined or beveled rear ends as shown at 19, the same being undercut on rectilinear lines for a purpose to be hereinafter made apparent. The runner 15 which is disposed in alinement with the runner 13 terminates in spaced relation to the runner 13 in the rear thereof and is shorter than the runner 16 whichis disposed in alinement with the runner 1 1 so that the forward ends of the runners 15 and 16 are equidistantly spaced in rear of the runners 13 and 14 respectively and have their forward ends rounded as shown, the spaces between the runners being designed to accommodate the scraper blade as will be later described. The transverse frame members and the brace rods 17 and 18 respectively are disposed parallel to each other and at right angles to the runners and are disposed to the rear ends of the runners 13 and 1 1 and adjacent to the forward and rear ends of the runners 15 and 16 and spaced from the bottom edges of the runners as shown.

At their forward ends, the runners 13 and 1 1 are connected by a transverse draft beam 20 preferably having U-bolts 21 for connection of a draft pole 22 therewith through the medium of a transverse bar 23 having hooks 24 for engaging the U-bolts 21, which latter are disposed through the draft beam 20. This provides means for attaching the draft animals, although I desire to have it understood that any suitable form of draft means may be provided for advancing the machine or device.

The draft bar or beam 20 is rigidly braced to the runners 13 and 14 at the forward ends of the latter by reinforcing strips 25 disposed upon the inn r and outer sides of the runners and secured thereto as by means of suitable securing means 26 passing through the runners and connecting the opposed strips which latter having their forward ends directed inwardly at right angles as shown at 27 against the forward and rear faces of the beam 20 so as to accommodate the ends of the latter therebetween. The portions 27 are secured by fastening means 28 passed through the beam 20, thus giving the required strength for all necessary draft pull.

The strips 25 are extended beneath-the platform of the front sled 11 and have their rear ends turn d upwardly in ears as shown at 29 above the top edges of the runners 13 and 14 and equidistantly spaced from the rear ends thereof so as to be located diag- 7 3O swinging movement, the horizontal portions onally across the sled or so that a line connecting the pivots will be parallel to a line pivots, while the rear ends or shanks of the beams are curved downwardly between the sleds for the attachment ofthe scraper ineluding a plate 32 and a blade 33 at the loweredge thereof.

Alined runners are connected by spaced pairs of intermediately and upwardly arched straps 34, the arched portions being located between the runners at each side and each pair being disposed in alinement transversely of the frame,while the beams 31 and their shanks are similarlyrelated to support the scraper in a diagonal position beneath the arhes of the straps 34:, which latter have their forward and rear extremities horizontally extended and secured to opposite faces of the allned runners. The connectingarches are thus disposed in pairsabove the top edges of the runners and receive the beams 31 therebetweenfor vertical of the connectin'gbeams being disposed near the bottom edges of the runners and bracing the latter vertically adjacent to their spaced ends so as to form a rigid connection which in effect produces a single sled comprising the transporting frame for supporting and advancing the scraper and having spaces or bottom recesses for accommodating the blade.'

' In order to adjust the scraper vertically .to bring its blade into and out of engagement with the ground and to hold the same in adjusted position, one of each pair of connecting beams carries a notched segment 35 and pivoted-to the same beams, neartheir lo'wer'ends, are adjustable throw levers 36 "having said lower ends extended down- 'wardly for pivotal connection with the shank portions of the beams 31 by pivoted links 37. Each throw lever carries a. catch mechanism including a housing 38 prefer-V ably stamped from a section of sheet metal in substantially rectangular formation and retained in position by pins 39, with inte-' gral ea rs 40 bent over the edges of the levers at the sides opposite to the sides upon which the housings are disposed, said housings also having depending projections 41 serving to guide the levers in their swinging movements. Mounted in each housing is a latch comprising opposed pairs of strips 42 spaced apart intermediately to straddle the pins 39 and ]O1116tl at their ends to provide engaging portions designed'to lit the notches of the.

segments, while the links 43 connect their opposite ends to pivoted latch handles 44 mounted upon the levers at their gripping portions. Springs 45 serve to hold the catches engaged and they may be disengaged by the catch handles so that the levers may be swung on theirpivots to raise or lower the scraper blade parallel to or angularly with respect to the ground, downward movements of the levers at their free ends which project over the platform of the sled 12 and runners 15 and 16, causing. upward movement of the opposite ends of the levers and the links connected thereto so as to raise the blade and vice versa. By this means the blade can be very easily controlled and positively held in an adjusted position so as to giveproper action upon the rod bed. A suitable brake bar 46 is pivoted to one of the runners,- preferably the runner 16 at its outer side and adjacent to the rear end thereof in convenient position to be controlledby the operator upon the rear sled 12, .so as to check the side lash of the scraper or grader as desired.

By this construction power applied to the beam 20 is led back through the strips 25 and beams 31 directly to the scraper, so that resistance on the latter when at work is thrown onto the draft rather than onto the sled. It is known that oblique scrapers produce considerable side lash, and in order that this may be resisted, the shanks of the beams 34 are passed between the arches and the straps of the latter are bolted to both sides of the alined runners. The result is that the two sleds become practically one,

and their cross bars and the boards of their platforms are strictly transverse as shown in Fig. 2.

W hat is claimed is: g V

The herein described road grader comprising two tandem sleds having their respective runners valined and spaced, straps pivoted between said'ears and having their rear ends turned downward and movably mounted between the arches of the respective pairs, a scraper carried by their downturned ends and standing oblique to the line of draft, and means for adjusting the position of said scraper vertically at each end.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE C. BULLOCK. Witnesses: A. E. BnnsoHELL,

Roar. B. Rnonn. 

